- Now there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, some of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers. Ezra 10:18 – All these names have been recorded in scripture for eternity, yet not for the good they did but due to their sinfulness. Sometimes we can think that’s how God has recorded our name. That our name is written down in His books with every sin we’ve ever done bullet-pointed and certain ones are even highlighted. God though works with the book of life and if your name is written down in it that means when God looks at you He sees someone who is redeemed, forgiven, and holy. Not some unforgiven sinner. Try to believe that if you’ve accepted the life Jesus gives that God doesn’t see your sin like you think He does. He sees you completely and totally forgiven of your wrongs and as a pure, holy child of His. Understanding and accepting that truth is so important because how we think God sees us will dictate how we lean on Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1282
- Now then make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives. Ezra 10:11 – Ezra had learned about a great sin that had taken place within the people and leaders. They had taken for themselves wives of the neighboring lands, something God very clearly told them not to do in His law to them. To resolve this issue, Ezra commands the people that have sinned in such a way to break away from those marriages of foreign wives. A very bold command, and one that didn’t come without some opposition. Yet how is this still right because we’re talking about dissolving marriages correct? Yes and no. See while they were married to these foreign wives, these marriages where in opposition to God’s laws so unholy and null in God’s eyes. These were illegitimate marriages, yet the peoples were still in need of separating themselves from this sin. Today, can we find ourselves in an illegitimate marriage with some sort of sin? Maybe it is being in a relationship that is strictly forbidden for a follower of Jesus to be in. Maybe you are married to the sin of pride, gossip, or laziness. The command then given by Ezra is then also being spoken over you. Separate yourselves from these things. God desires and commands a holy lifestyle being pursued by His followers. Rather than what is unholy, marry yourself to what is holy and right in the Father’s eyes. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2503
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